Coast Guard rescues injured hunter on Prince of Wales Island

KODIAK, Alaska – A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka based MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew rescued an injured 56-year-old hunter on Prince of Wales Island Saturday morning after friends reported him overdue to the Alaska State Troopers yesterday evening.

Arthur David, residence unknown, was hunting with his friends on the northeast side of the island in Coffman Cove and didn’t return to the meeting point when scheduled.

The state troopers called the 17th Coast Guard District command center watchstanders requesting assistance in locating David around midnight and immediately launched a helicopter to conduct the search. The rescue crew located tracks in the snow and reported it to the Klawock, Alaska, volunteer search and rescue team who began conducting a ground search for David around 4:15 a.m.

The volunteer team found David around 6:30 a.m. with a possible broken ankle. Due to the rocky terrain the volunteer team requested David be hoisted. The Coast Guard rescue crew refueled in Ketchikan and returned to safely hoist David, then flew him to awaiting emergency medical services in Sitka.